Gregor Laudmian
"I'm just here to help. What else is a paladin for?" - Gregor Laudmian History Born to a merchant family in Hope's Redoubt, Gregor spent the vast majority of his life under the expectation that he would join his family's legion of crafters or merchants. All of his other brothers had done so, so naturally he too had to follow suit. However, his heart just wasn't in it. Hope's Redoubt was a city renowned for its paladins, and it was them that Gregor looked up to. While his skill with a hammer was just as good as his fellow Laudmians', he would have preferred to use the armor and weapons he made against real targets, not just practice dummies made to make sure they wouldn't break on the first use. His parents, of course, heavily disapproved of any such idea of not joining the family business. After all, the Laudmians weren't exactly a household name! They needed every son working on making sure their name became as noble and famous as they needed it to be! Well, Gregor just wasn't having it! Though he agreed to work under his brother, Hawthorne, he had hatched a plot with said relative. On the outside, it would appear that Gregor had finally acquiesced to his parents' demand that he join the family trade. However, Hawthorne would allow Gregor to put his immense strength to use as a guard for his caravans in-between crafting jobs. It wasn't the ideal thing, but it at least scratched Gregor's itch for justice in his formative years. During this time, he honed his investigatory skills, learning the art of subterfuge and diplomacy through the rigors of finding business fraud. Arresting embezzlers, though, didn't exactly count as fighting 'evil.' While Hawthorne sympathized with his brother, he couldn't exactly let him run wild out in the countryside fighting undead and catching bandits. Instead, he turned towards some of his own contacts. The Order of the Silver Ring was in need of new Squires to swell its ranks since it was being reformed, and Hawthorne had just enough connections to get Gregor in the door as an applicant. Gregor, of course, would have to actually prove himself worthy of such a position. When Hawthorne broke the news to Gregor, the man could not have been more overjoyed. This was his chance at last to do some real good in the world! With proper training and backing from the Silver Ring, he might be able to one day leave the city and help people elsewhere! He could finally do something good with his life, rather than just whittling days away crafting pieces of armor and weapons. He jumped at the opportunity, and soon Gregor had managed to join the Silver Ring as a Squire. With his fellow Squires, he was given the task of liberating Krevanor from the grasp of a usurper. The city was in a state of quasi-rebellion, with the local chapter of knights struggling to hang on in the face of a revolt by half the town's guard. The Squires arrived and quickly set to work securing the city, with Gregor playing a pivotal role in the group as both a healer and immovable wall thanks to his use of heavy armor and divine healing magic. He assisted in clearing a garrison out, acquiring new weapons, and even securing a massive diamond dome material component for the purpose of diverting a foul creature sent by the Scarecrow itself! There were a lot of close calls, but in the end the trial of battle only steeled his resolve to do good in the world. His adventures in Krevanor culminated with the elimination of what he could only describe as an Anti-Paladin, a man who had intentionally sacrificed the lives of those around him in exchange for a taste of power from the Scarecrow. The felling of such a sadly fallen man empowered Gregor's will to do good, for if there were men capable of such evil in the world, he would need to redouble his efforts to make up for it! After the battles of Krevanor, Gregor and his fellow Squires were Knighted for their troubles, with Gregor being granted the title of Quartermaster Knight in the Order of the Silver Ring. Though his parents had long disapproved of his stubborn refusal to become a merchant, seeing them in the crowd of onlookers that night had told him all he needed: they at last were allowing him to be who he wanted to be. It also probably helped their crest was now hanging on the walls of proper nobility as well! Armed with friends and skills from his time in the Silver Ring, Gregor left Hope's Redoubt to begin his crusade against the evils of this world, hoping to become a bright, burning flame against the darkness of evil in the world of the Reach. Appearance Gregor has a somewhat cherubic face under all that armor, with close cropped hair in order to prevent the dreaded condition known as "Helmet Hair." His body is well built from a lifetime of working in forges, and has only been further honed by his recent work as a paladin. When not walking around in a suit of armor heavy enough to crush most chairs under, he typically prefers to wear a simple tunic bearing Falayna's holy symbol along with typical breeches and shoes. A simple man, he typically avoids dressing too gaudily. Personality Typically friendly and eager to do good in this world, Gregor can usually be found smiling and trying out new things. He's always happy to make a new friend and especially seems to do well with children, perhaps because he understands their desire to just have fun with their lives. While he's quite devout, Gregor does not make a habit of forcing his religion on others, though he's always quick to get to know the local clerics of any area. Friendly though he may be, Gregor takes his vow against evil quite seriously, and does not hesitate in the face of overwhelming odds or overpowering evil. To his dying breath, he plans to take a stand against the encroaching darkness of the world. Friends Gregor is friends with the other Squires (Now Knights) of the Silver Ring. They had each other's backs during their trials in the city of Krevanor, and even now he maintains a friendly disposition towards them. Outside of the Silver Ring, he typically counts on his brother, Hawthorne, to be there should he need a confidante. Enemies Gregor counts all the forces of evil and undead to be his enemies, but he himself has no actual sworn foes on a personal level. Aspirations Founding his own section of the Order of the Silver Ring would be great, but that goal is a long ways off. For the moment, Gregor only wishes to leave his mark of Good on the world, and maybe found at least one church in the name of his goddess. Category:Character